It was Chi Tong's undefeated record that had given his teammates the courage to face any challenge, and his composure and determination that had transformed Ryonan from a promising team into one confident of winning the championship.
Meanwhile, in Aiwa Gakuin's locker room, head coach Tanabe Kenichi was giving his players their final briefing. "Our opponent today is Lingnan High. Don't underestimate them just because this is their first National Tournament. Toyotama High, Daiei Academy, and the Great Wall-veteran powerhouses that consistently reach the national quarterfinals-have all fallen to them."
"Beating those opponents one after another is proof enough of Ryonan's strength."
His gaze swept over every player before he continued, "So you can't afford to be careless today. You must give a hundred percent and face them with everything you have."
"As for tactics, stick to the plan we agreed on. On the court, give Zhuxin Da your full support and build the offense around him. At the same time, do everything you can to shut down their Sendoh. His drives and passes are a serious threat."
"And watch their number fourteen. His individual ability might not be top-tier, but his off-ball movement and surprise attacks are troublesome. Stay tight on him. Don't let him disrupt our rhythm."
"Yes!" the Aiwa Academy players answered in unison.
Tanabe Kenichi glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost game time. "Anything else to add?" he asked one last time.
"If you have any questions, ask them now."
Silence settled over the locker room, and everyone shook their heads.
Seeing that no one had anything to add, Tanabe Kenichi took a deep breath, then turned to Zhu Xingda. "Zhu Xingda, I'm leaving things on the court to you."
Then he addressed everyone in a ringing voice. "Since there's nothing else